Sharjah, UAE--The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) discussed ways of enhancing cooperation in the investment field and developing mechanisms for promoting the joint efforts aimed at supporting the business community in Sharjah and Oman. The two sides explored promising...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The Riyadh Season has announced the commencement of registration for the SEVEN Concours 2024 exhibition, the largest event for enthusiasts of sports and exotic cars in the Middle East. Registration for participation in the exhibition is available via the following link: https://www.sevencarlounge.com/ The exhibition will feature...

Cairo, Egypt -- After more than two decades of restoration, the tomb of Neferhotep, a high-ranking 18th dynasty senior official during the reign of King Ay, was officially opened on Sunday. According to Ahram Online, the tomb, located in the Al-Khokha area on Luxor’s West Bank, was opened during a...

Dubai, UAE -- Ministers of labor and human resources from 16 Asian countries sending and receiving workers have called for using advanced technology in innovative initiatives aimed at resolving labor disputes and expediting verdicts. They also aimed to strengthen wage protection systems and facilitate skill mobility among participating countries. The...

Dubai, UAE -- In 2023, Dubai Customs managed 46.87 million bags from 206,396 flights, averaging 128,400 bags daily and played a role in the reception of a record-breaking 17.15 million international visitors. The Passenger Operations Department has over 845 inspection officers supported by 77 baggage inspection devices. Ibrahim Al Kamali,...

Yemen's Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, have launched dozens of attacks against ships in the Red Sea since November, targeting boats headed for Israel in an act of "solidarity" with inhabitants of the Gaza Strip, which is in the grip of the war between Israel and Hamas. Despite retaliatory strikes...

Berrechid, Morocco -- Around this time every year, Moroccan wheat farmer Abderrahim Mohafid is usually preparing for his spring harvest, but this year his fields lay unusually bare. On the road leading up to his hamlet in Berrechid province, Morocco's historical breadbasket situated some 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) southeast of...

Abu Dhabi, UAE--The total public expenditure of Arab countries combined jumped by 9.8% to $957.5 billion in 2022, compared to $878.9 billion in 2021, according to the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF). AMF, in its Joint Arab Economic Report, explained that current expenditure in Arab countries increased by about 9.9% to...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  - About 61 purchase contracts totaling approximately SR26 billion  ($6.93 billion) were signed at the second World Defense Show (WDS) which concluded here on Thursday.   The event, featuring 773 exhibitors and hosting 441 official delegations from 116 countries, attracted 106,000 visitors. Throughout the show, a total of...

LONDON, UK - British museums, like others across Europe, are under pressure to return artworks taken during the colonial era, including Bronzes from Benin, royal treasures from Ghana and friezes from Greece. However, politicians have little appetite to change the legal framework that is currently blocking full restitutions by national museums,...

London, United Kingdom - Europe's main stock markets steadied Friday as traders reacted to more earnings updates from top companies, while awaiting revisions to US inflation data. Asia saw holiday-thinned trade, with investors there struggling to build on another record-setting day on Wall Street. "Today sees things slow down after a...

SHANGHAI, CHINA - Young Chinese flocking home for Lunar New Year this weekend have turned to an AI chatbot game to help train for the most dreaded social interaction of the year -- the dinner table interrogation by nosy relatives. The annual inquisition as extended families gather for China's biggest festival...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan received Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and his accompanying delegation at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh on Thursday. During the meeting, they...

Abu Dhabi, UAE-- The UAE's real GDP will grow 5.3 percent in 2024, compared to 3.4 percent in 2023, according to S&P Global Ratings, the world's leading credit rating agency. The credit rating agency in a new report said that UAE banks reported exceptional profits for the full year 2023...

Washington, US - The United States military confirmed on Thursday its forces conducted multiple strikes against Houthi missile systems as the Yemen-based rebel group prepared to launch attacks that threatened US Navy and merchant ships. Late Wednesday Sanaa time US Central Command forces "conducted self-defense strikes against two Houthi mobile anti-ship...

LONDON, UK - Scientists in Britain announced on Thursday they had smashed a record for generating fusion energy in the final experiment using the Joint European Torus (JET) machines. Nuclear fusion is the same process that the sun uses to generate heat. Proponents believe it could one day help tackle climate...

PARIS, FRANCE -  Earth has endured 12 consecutive months of temperatures 1.5C hotter than the pre-industrial era for the first time on record, Europe's climate monitor said Thursday, in what scientists called a "warning to humanity". Storms, drought and fire have lashed the planet as climate change -- supercharged by the...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday said he will make efforts to achieve the unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as well as the stability and prosperity of their people. Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the prime minister of Saudi Arabia said...

The move comes two weeks after Britain and the United States unveiled new coordinated asset freezes and travel bans on the fighters. Hamas itself, along with several linked groups, is already listed by Ottawa as a banned terrorist organization.

Common beliefs associated with gemstones are largely what motivates people to buy them, said Hassan Samimi, a lapidary at the market near the shrine of Shah Abdolazim. Iran subsequently declared the ring "cultural heritage" and a "national asset", Samimi says demand for gemstones has remained relatively steady despite Iran's severe...

The world of work is changing fast. By 2027, businesses predict that almost half (44%) of workers’ core skills will be disrupted, found the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report. Technology, the report said, is moving faster than companies can design and scale up their training programs. AI, according to...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia on Tuesday explicitly conveyed to the United States its stance on diplomatic relations with Israel, making it clear that such ties will not be established without significant progress on the Palestinian issue. The Kingdom insists on the recognition of an independent Palestinian state within...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia drew 27 million foreign tourists in 2023 and has more than doubled its goal for the end of the decade, an official said on Tuesday. The announcement came less than five years after the Gulf kingdom fully opened up to tourism and as fears persist...

Strasbourg, France - The EU on Tuesday urged a 90-percent cut to its greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, even as the bloc's transition to a greener future was clouded by a widespread farmers' revolt. "Based on the best available science, and a detailed impact assessment, we are recommending that the 2040 target...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will headline a new exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia, organizers said. The Serb and the Spaniard, with 46 major titles between them, will be joined by Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner at the 6 Kings Slam. World...

Cairo, Egypt -- The potential termination of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) due to a lack of funds poses a danger for the entire region, Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said. "The cessation of the work of this UN...

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Turkish police on Tuesday shot dead two assailants from a leftist organization, branded "terrorists" by authorities, who attacked a security checkpoint outside Istanbul's main court, killing one person and injuring five, officials said. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the assailants were members of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Abu Dhabi Airports, the operator of Abu Dhabi's five commercial airports, has announced the appointment of Elena Sorlini as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Sorlini transitions into the role permanently after serving in an interim capacity since June 2023. Since joining Abu Dhabi Airports,...

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - The Jeddah Central Development Company, a company owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), signed four construction contracts worth SAR 12 billion ($3 billion) for three major architectural landmarks, including the Stadium, the Opera House and the Oceanarium, in addition to the infrastructure construction work for...

Amman, Jordan-- The UAE and Jordan have explored opportunities for collaboration in the fields of economy, investment, food security, renewable energy and sustainability in a meeting between the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Jordan's King Abdullah in Amman. The meeting between the two leaders, which took place at...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia and Swiss Fund have decided to initiate financing initiatives in the debt market in a move towards bolstering investments in zero-emissions projects. Saudi Minister of Investment, Eng. Khalid Al-Falih, announced the collaboration during a Saudi-Swiss round table meeting in Riyadh on Monday. The strategic...

MADRID, SPAIN -  Spain said on Monday that it would give an additional US$$3.8 million (3.5 million euros) in aid to the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, which is facing a cash crunch after several nations suspended their funding. Over a dozen countries, including major donors the United States, Germany, Britain...

Moscow, Russia -- China, India, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia will become prior countries for Russia in development of inbound tourism in 2024, according to the concept for promoting Russia’s tourism potential on foreign markets presented by Director General of the Center for Strategic Research Pavel...

Tehran, Iran -- Iran said Monday it had started building a new nuclear research reactor in Isfahan, days after it announced it was constructing a nuclear power plant complex in the south. "Today, the process of pouring concrete for the foundation of the reactor started at the Isfahan site," said Mohammad...

DUBAI, UAE - The total M&A market dropped 15 percent, to US$3.2 trillion, the lowest level in a decade, as dealmakers grappling with high interest rates, regulatory scrutiny and mixed macroeconomic signals had to be more selective about which deals to pursue in 2023. But the biggest obstacle was the...

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia -- As many as 25,000 fragments of artifacts dating from the early Islamic era, the first two centuries of AH (7th to 8th centuries AD) have been discovered in Saudi Arabia. The discovery was announced by the Jeddah Historic District Program, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission....

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held a virtual meeting with ministers from the region to discuss a strategy for food security in the Middle East. Ministers responsible for agriculture and food security from the GCC countries attended the meeting. The meeting discussed...

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)’s EV Green Charger initiative witnessed a 59 percent increase in the usage of its Green Charger services for electric vehicles throughout 2023. By 31 Dec 2023, DEWA’s EV Green Charger initiative, aimed at promoting green mobility, recorded 1.14 million charging sessions...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia has revised the regulations of its Privatization Law, setting the minimum limit for a public-private partnership project at $54 million (SR 200 million). The amended executive regulations, published in the official gazette Umm Al-Qura, outline that the minimum value for the transfer of asset...

Washington, US - American forces shot down eight drones near Yemen and destroyed four more on the ground, the US military said on Saturday, announcing a series of incidents that took place the previous day. The strikes and shootdowns in and around Yemen came as American forces launched a wave of air...

Vienna, Austria - The OPEC Fund for International Development allocated US$1.7 billion across 55 projects globally in 2023, providing funding to address climate change and energy transition, support social and economic resilience and boost sustainable growth. The organization was established 48 years ago and the 2023 results represent a record...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The Saudi Central Bank Governor (SAMA) Ayman Al-Sayari discussed the recent developments in central banking and the outlook for the global economy in a meeting with President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde at SAMA’s headquarters in Riyadh on Thursday. Several events were organized...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised its growth projections for Saudi Arabia's economy, revealing a more optimistic outlook. The latest forecast anticipates a 5.5% growth rate for the Kingdom in 2025, representing an increase from the initial projection of 4.5% made in October 2023. The...

Brussels, Belgium - The European Union's 27 member states on Friday approved landmark rules on reining in artificial intelligence, passing a key last hurdle after tough negotiations to the very end. Brussels first proposed an AI law in 2021 but spent most of last year racing to greenlight the draft text after...

BEIJING, CHINA - China's economic slowdown is likely to persist in the coming years as the Asian giant struggles with sagging productivity and a rapidly aging population, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Friday. The world's second-largest economy last year saw some of its slowest growth in decades, as a...

Doha, Qatar -- Qatar has recorded real estate transactions worth 378 million QR ($100 million) during the 21-25 Jan 2024 period, according to the emirate's Department of Real Estate Registration at the Ministry of Justice. Also, total sales contracts for residential units for the same period were QR 21.36 million,...

ABU DHABI, UAE  - The Ministry of Investment of the UAE and the Ministry of Digital Governance of the Hellenic Republic have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a framework for investments in digital infrastructure with a focus on data center projects in Greece. The agreement was signed...

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai recorded real estate transactions valued at AED 11.5 billion ($3.13 billion) during the week ending 2 Feb 2024. The sum of transactions was 3,677. A total of 192 plots were sold for AED 2.61 billion, 2,699 apartments and villas were sold for AED 5.75 billion. The...

Doha, Qatar -- Qatar coach Tintin Marquez said Friday they relish the "positive pressure" of trying to retain their Asian Cup title on home soil, on the eve of a quarter-final with Uzbekistan. The hosts and holders won all three of their games in the group phase without conceding a goal...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia has embarked on a program to equip Saudi exporters with the necessary information on procedures, requirements, targeted markets, and available opportunities for exporting products globally. General Authority for Foreign Trade, through its Agency for Private Sector Affairs and International Representation, has launched a series...